To customize the slide master and associated layouts, do one or more of the following:

To remove an unwanted, default placeholder from a layout, in the slide thumbnail pane, click the slide layout that contains the placeholder, click the border of the placeholder in the presentation window, and then press DELETE.

To add a text placeholder, in the slide thumbnail pane, click the slide layout that you want to contain the placeholder, and then do the following:

On the Slide Master tab, in the Master Layout group, click Insert Placeholder, and then click Text.

Click a location on the slide master, and then drag to draw the placeholder.

To add other types of placeholders that contain content such as pictures, clip art, screen shots, SmartArt graphics, charts, movies, sounds, and tables, on the Slide Master tab, in the Master Layout group, click Insert Placeholder, and then click the type of placeholder that you want to add.

To add character by using color and a background, do one of the following: